“25 Words or Less” Really Works
March 31, 2009 by Jean Murray
Filed under Business
Can you describe your business in “25 Words or Less?” If not, why not?
Back in the 1950s, contests were the rage. And many stay-at-home moms discovered that if they could write catchy jingles or product descriptions they could win prizes. Case in Point: A true story titled The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio describes just such a woman. (It was a best-selling book and a movie.)
As I said, these women in the 50s learned that it was important to be able to capture the essence of a product or service and describe it clearly and with something catchy to grab the customer’s interest.
Today, it’s called an Elevator Speech, and every small business person needs one.
What is an Elevator Speech? You get on an elevator and you say hello to the person standing beside you. You exchange a few words, and the other person asks, “What do you do?” You only have 10 seconds to describe what it is you do, what it is you are selling. Then the elevator doors open and you are done. That 10 seconds is all the time you have. It’s the time it takes to say “25 words or less.” Can you do it?
What must be included in your elevator speech?
- An explanation of how you can help the person standing next to you
- Something catchy to make the other person say, “Really! I would like to know more about that.”
It may sound easy, but it is one of the most difficult speeches you will ever prepare.
A sample elevator speech. Here is a poor elevator speech: “I’m a dentist. I specialize in restorative dental surgery.” Understandable definition but boring. Why would anyone want to know about this? A better speech: “I help people get their smiles back.” See what I mean? Here is another example: One of my clients is starting a professional organization business. She says, “I teach disorganized people how to ‘eat an elephant’.” (That is, one bite at a time.) It certainly is catchy.
Now you try it. If you want to send an elevator speech about what you do, comment and we’ll let you know what we think.
Image source: Newscom
I’m going to be straight up and say it – I believe the worst job on earth to be anyone who has to maintain those arials at the top of giant buildings. For the life of me I could never do it – I’m afraid of heights and I think I would just wet my pants if I ever had to go up that high! I’d be fine being an astronaut though, the fear of falling wouldn’t be so present for me at that point, and well once you get beyond the atmosphere you’ve gone well out of the zone of ‘high’.
Thanks for the comment. I have to agree with you – I wouldn’t do that job for anything.